I forgot to send this to the list, sorry.
Steve,
Since you didn't mention in your email that you have been having trouble
with the battery going dead I assume that the only indication that there
is a problem is the ammeter sitting on the - side of 0. If that is the
case your charging circuit is probably fine and you have a problem with
the ammeter not reading correctly. With everything off does the ammeter
sit a little to the left, or centered. It should be centered. If it
isn't, it is not a big deal, you just need to make observations relative
to this position. With the engine off, turn on the headlights. Does the
ammeter move further to the - side? It should. If not, you can't trust
your ammeter in your testing. You may have a bad ammeter, or it has been
bypassed. Neither of these should keep your alternator from charging.
If you are having trouble with your battery discharging, whether the
ammeter is reading correctly or not, I would start by having at least
one of the alternators tested. Is there a Autozone or some other auto
parts house local to you in Milwaukee? They will probably check the
alternator for free. If if fails, tell them that you need to decide what
to do before you replace it or they will try to sell you a new one. Take
the regulator with you, it could be defective. They may be able to test
the regulator also.
Once you know you have a functional alternator you can install it and
the regulator. The first place to look at is where the large white wire
connects to the back of the alternator. It does not go through the plug,
but is a separate wire. With the engine on or off you should measure
battery voltage on it. If you do, the output of the alternator will make
it to the car if the alternator is working. If you don't have voltage
you either have a bad ammeter, or a bad connection in the wiring. You
didn't say what year your car is, so there are some things to look at
that are different between late and early, so give these a try and let
me know what you find.
Peace,
Pat
stebharvey@ameritech.net wrote:
> Group,
>
> My dash gauge always reads just below the center toward the negative (-)
> side. I changed the position of the alternator from lower left side to
> the upper right side of the engine this past weekend so I could
> troubleshoot the alternator and have it in a more convenient location. I
> tried three different original style alternators and all produce the
> same effect as before. My volt meter took a turn south so I can't check
> the output at the moment. Any ideas what and were I should start looking
> for the problem once I have a new meter?
>
> Steve
> Milwaukee
> P.S. A local auto electrical shop (foreign makes) will check the three
> alternator's on his test bench for five bucks each.
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